National News

House Republicans To Propose Short-Term Debt Ceiling Hike

(Washington, DC) -- In a major shift, House Republicans will propose a short-term hike in the federal debt ceiling with no strings attached. In a Capitol news conference, House Speaker John Boehner said the GOP plan would boost the debt limit for six weeks. Boehner accused the President and Senate Democrats of stalling serious until the last minute. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Republicans will insist on good faith negotiations over a wide range of issues, including the ongoing partial shutdown of the federal government.

The federal government faces the prospect of an unprecedented default unless the nearly 17-trillion dollar debt ceiling is boosted by October 17th. House Republicans had been insisting on tying any debt limit increase to further cuts in spending, a deal-breaker with Senate Democrats and the White House. President Obama has repeatedly insisted he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling, which he describes as paying bills already racked up.